Hosting an NCSD event? We’re here to help make it unforgettable:

On Sunday, June 7, communities around the world will unite to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day® and honor those who have faced cancer. We invite you to host your own local celebration!

Need a little inspiration? Our NCSD Event Themes page is full of creative ideas to help you plan a 2026 Celebration of Life that’s truly one-of-a-kind.

Remember, a theme isn’t required—but it can add energy, unity, and lasting memories to your celebration.

Here are just a few ideas to get your planning started:

Better Together: Collaborative Art Project

Have survivors work together to create a mural or other installation such as a paper flower collage or a ribbon labeled with names, years of survivorship, and handwritten messages of encouragement, which can later be displayed in your hospital or treatment center. Have survivors write inspiring messages on an NCSD banner.

There’s No Place Like Hope

You’re gonna be popular! Survivors, caregivers, and treatment staff – oh my! Delight guests with a Wizard of Oz or Wicked–themed Survivors Day event complete with a “yellow brick road” for guests to follow into the event space. Send out movie ticket invites and decorate in all pinks and greens. To correlate with Dorothy’s journey through OZ, consider allowing cancer survivors from your community to share the lessons they’ve learned along their cancer journeys.

Survivors Rock

Music is the center of this event, and it doesn’t even have to be rock and roll. Include performances by local musicians, set up a karaoke stage or an interactive music station, or host a workshop on music therapy. The options are endless. An Elvis impersonator would really shake things up!

Savor the Sweet Life

All you need for this theme is ice cream. You can host a homemade ice cream contest, set up a create-your-own sundae bar, or cater in treats from a local scoop shop. A barbershop quartet would provide the cherry on top for this old-fashioned ice cream social.

Blast from the Past

Hold a 20s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s themed event. Ideas include a sock hop, hula-hoop contests, poodle skirts, bell-bottoms, arcade games, and music from the era.